Customer Reviews

Sounding Drum

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What happens when Native American history finds its way to the Big Apple? Chaos. While working on a steam line under a Manhattan building, a construction worker, who just happens to be an Oneida Nation chief, discovers a cave containing undisturbed Indian artifacts. Rather than informing his boss, he calls a NYU professor, Paula Fox, also of Native American descent, and informs her of the discovery. Searching the cave, Fox finds a roll of parchment that she believes to be a very important historical document. But knowing that such documents are often kept secret to avoid a cultural uprising, she removes the document from the site and delivers it to fellow Native, Stephen Drum, AKA Sounding Drum, a former New York attorney, raised on the Salish Indian reservation in Montana, and now a consultant for the Indian casino business. Drum sets out to prove the document's authenticity, dreaming that financially for his fellow Native Americans, this possible land treaty could be like "the return of the buffalo." The author does a superb job demonstrating the spiritual power behind Native culture and how it mixes with modern, big city society. Sounding Drum is a fascinating tale that will keep the reader turning pages and wondering where the story will go next. Copyright ©1999, ReadWest.com. All rights reserved

The chance discovery of a 400-year-old land grant by a colonial New York governor that ceded a chunk of Manhattan Island to the local Canarsee Indian tribes sparks the roller coaster plot of western writer Martin's new thriller. Steve ("Sounding") Drum is a Montana Salish Indian turned savvy Wall Street lawyer to whom archeologist Paula Fox secretly give the document she has unearthed. When the analysis proves the deed authentic, Drum finds the Canarsee heirs among the Schomacs, a small landless tribe near the Finger Lakes are of New York State. Pooling the resources of local casino-owning tribes and calling for help from the Mafioso benefactor how put him through law school, Drum lanuches a shrewd plan to transform part of Rockefeller Center into the Schomac reservation. Drum's scheme is complicated by his unscanctioned romance with the Don's daughter, and by a mystery stalker intent on killing him. He's also distracted by his obsession to revenge his own father's murder. The outlandish premise and the plot's compelling twists and turns more than compensate for sappy dialogue in the romantic episodes, and extraneous side plot and a glut of ethnic similies. Readers will sympathize with the Native American underdogs all the way to the surprise ending. Author tour (June) FYI: Martin will tour with his wife, romance novelist Kat Martin (Publisher's Weekly May 31, 1999)

Construction is a way of life in Manhattan, which makes the discovery even more startling. A Native American burial site has been uncovered amidst the excavation. Anthropologist Dr. Paula Fox extracts a delicate document that clearly describes a land deal between a tribe and a colonial governor. Paula takes the deed to Native American attorney Steve Drum, an individual who left his Montana reservation for Wall St.

Steve investigates the paper, which if valid, means that the Canarsu Indians own a piece of the rock. As he continues his inquires, an unknown assailant blackmails him for his affair with the daughter of the local Don. Though his life is in danger, Steve pursues what he believes is in the best interest of his people, claiming their heritage and building a massive casino in the middle of the big Apple.

SOUNDING DRUM (Steve's Native American name) is a fast-paced tale centered on an engaging supposition. Fans will find all the characters appealing, but especially will take pride in Steve's courage to insure justice happens even when the odds seem overwhelming. Bang the drums for Larry Martin who soundly demonstrates he provides his audience with a one sitting, entertaining novel.

Harriet Klausner

This is a book that does not know what it wants to be. It is partially a legal/business thriller and partially a "buddy book" farce. It features a group of New York City American Indian friends ,led by attorney Stephen Drum, that go against the mafia, a blackmailer/assassin, the federal government, the New York State government, the New York City government and all of the odds to put an Indian reservation in New York City with an accompanying "Indian" casino in Rockefeller Center.

The book is frustrating, however, because the thriller aspects are not consistent and the fun "buddy book" parts only kick in during the last 50 pages or so. It makes for a herky-jerky read and is ultimately unsatisfying. That is why I am giving it a "2 stars".

4 1/2 Stars, a TOP PICK: "...Larry Jay Martin makes a huge splash with his new novel that comes equipped with an utterly intriguing and ingenious premise that guarantees loads of edge-of-your-seat suspense. SOUNDING DRUM is a high-stakes thriller that will keep you glued until the last word." Jill Smith, Mainstream Fiction Reviews, Romantic Times, June

Congratulation's, Larry. This is the one that should give you the recognition you deserve."Sounding Drum" is an outstanding tale, offering insights into modern Native American culture. A big city Indian takes of the Big Guns of Wall Street while working an agenda that will benefit all Indians. A wry tale where the good guys are the Indians and they call the shots. Read it and root for the Indians while they take on the Government and Wall Street cowboys. I can see "Sounding Drum" as a movie.

"Sounding Drum races at full gallop through the streets of Manhattan, turning an important subject--the theft of America from its native inhabitants--into a thriller that compares with the best of Tom Clancy and John Grisham. It's a wonder it hasn't been done before. I cannot imagine that it could be done as well by anyone but Larry Jay Martin." --Loren D. Estleman, author of THE HOURS OF THE VIRGIN

MR. MARTIN HAS ARTFULLY WOVEN A WEB OF HISTORIC FACTS, LOVE, HATE AND DECEIT. HE PROVIDES A TRIP DOWN A HISTORIC PATH OF NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TAKING US INTO THE CORPORATE WORLD OF BIG BUSINESS AND DECEIT. HE HAS MANAGED TO LACE SOUNDING DRUM WITH ENOUGH ROMANCE AND BIG BUSINESS INTRIGUE TO MAKE IT A VERY GOOD READ. I FOUND IT HARD TO PUT THE BOOK DOWN FOR FEAR I WOULD MISS SOMETHING. BEING OF NATIVE AMERICAN DESCENT, I SAY IT IS ABOUT TIME WE WON ONE FOR GERONIMO.

A fast paced thriller of one smart Indian's plan to take special advantage a newly discovered treaty deeding part of Manhatten Island back to the Indians who lived there first. Steven Sounding Drum, a Ivy-league trained lawyer, now involved in consulting Indian leaders on their reservation gambling operations, must triumph over a mysterious assassin stalking him, the strain of loving the daughter of a Mafia Don who is apposed to his affections for the beloved daughter, and his on-going effort to take vengence for the death of his father at the hands of an unscruplious business tycoon. Mr. Sounding Drum brings all his talents learned at the table of white, corporate America to pull a fast one on the desendants of the very people who took his heritage from his forefathers in an earlier time. Filled with excitment and has good closure at the end. The protagnist weaves the various talents of Indians from different tribal cultures together, while showing their common outrage at the way they have been treated by the white man over the years. Well worth the time invested in the reading. A five star effort. Col T P Nicholson, US Army Ret. Coltompn@avenew.com

I FOUND LARRY MARTINS RESEARCH AND ABILITY TO TRANSFORM IT INTO, A REAL THRILLER. SOMETHING FOR ALL OF US TO THINK ABOUT! GREAT WORK!